Unusual Circumstances
by Zolabelle
Summary: Alejandra Mendoza Ramirez Hierro Castro is a young Mexican American with a bit of a big mouth. Through a set of unusual and unfortunate circumstances, she must move across the Atlantic, to live with her grandparents in England. She finds herself on the train to Hogwarts for her fourth year and the people she meets and the things she does could change everything she thought she knew


"Alejandra!" my abuela shouted, "Be good in school! We love you Nieta!" She waved and waved. I had my head stuck out a window and was waving too. She and my abuelo, or grandfather, were standing in the train station on platform nine and three-quarters seeing me off to school in the Hogwarts Express. I thought it was a funny name for a school, Hogwarts but, then it was a school for magic. I waved until I couldn't see them anymore, my abuela with her tattered shawl over her muggle dress and my abuelo with his arm around her shoulders waving one large paw of a hand. They had been caring for me since I was sent here to live with them a few days after my birthday. They lived in a small flat above their shop in London and over the summer I had helped with customers while I got used to my new life. My grandpa had written lots of letters to the headmaster of my new school and had somehow worked out my placement there, despite the unusual circumstances. I supposed I was lucky but, I didn't feel like it.

I wandered down the aisle thingy between compartments, trying to find one that wasn't filled with people or at least had some who were decent looking. I pulled my shabby suitcase behind me. It looked like some little girl's luggage but, it was mine. Even though it was old I had refused when my abuela had offered to buy me a brand new school trunk. For some reason I was taking every chance I could to keep every bit of my old life with me. I suppose it was because I was stubborn. The world might be spinning and changing around me but, I was determined to be still. It didn't really help anything but, I did it anyway.

Looking to my left I found a compartment with only three people in it and they all seemed to be alright. I figured it was the best I was getting and knocked on the slidey door before opening it. "Alright if I join ya?" I asked. I still had my American accent and so they all looked at me like I was from outer space of course. "I promise I don't bite." I said and rolled my eyes. The bushy haired girl nodded and patted the empty seat beside her.

"I'm Hermione and this is Harry and Ron." She indicated each in turn. Ron turned out to be a gangly kid with a long nose and freckles; topped off with the brightest shock of red hair I'd seen this side of the Atlantic. Harry had dark messy hair and looked pretty average except for his round glasses and the lightning bolt on his forehead. I didn't stare too long at either of them but Harry's scar drew my attention. My eyes kept flicking back to it as the conversation progressed. Where had I seen him before? I knew he was familiar somehow…

"Howareya?" I said as I stuck out my hand for them to shake. After we had gotten through the formalities, I pulled my suitcase into the compartment and shut the door. "I'm Alex," I said before I heaved the case up and slid it onto the shelf. When I was done I sat down before continuing, "I'm pretty new around here as you can probably tell." I was trying to resign myself to the bombardment of questions that were sure to follow this. I didn't want to start off the year without knowing a single soul and if that were to happen, I had to make nice.

"Is that an American accent?" Ron asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Give the man a prize!" I said. "Yep, I'm from America. The big apple herself actually." I crossed my fingers by my leg, hoping they'd keep going on this for a while. This was easy, I could talk about this.

"Wow, what's it like?" asked Harry next.

"A lot like here to be honest. Big busy city. Dirty, noisy, crowded, and shiny. But some things are different too." I shrugged, "Like the accents of course and the lingo. Took me a bit to figure out that a torch isn't actually a light a stick on fire kind of torch…"

Hermione and Harry laughed but Ron just looked confused, "Isn't that what it is?"

"See? That's what I said! How was I supposed to know that you guys call flashlights funny things?" Ron looked even more confused now. I was going to explain but, decided against it. If he didn't know, he didn't need to. "Either way, I've been stuck at home with my grandparents a lot of the time so I haven't got to see much of the city."

"But, why did you move in with your grandparents? If you don't mind me asking…" Hermione asked innocently.

I looked down at my hands, hoping they hadn't seen the agony that was burning through my skull now. "Long story…" I said and folded my arms nervously. I hadn't thought up a good lie yet and I sure as heck wasn't telling the truth, I had to find some way to distract them. "I'm here now though and that's that I guess…" I hoped to god she dropped it but I could see she already had another question poised on the tip of her tongue. This was the last time I left anything like this on my to-do list. I had to be prepared next time. Thankfully, I heard some lady pushing a cart up the aisle corridor thing yelling about food and ringing a little bell. Ha. Saved by the bell. "Lunch time already? Good I'm starved…" I set about getting my money down from the top pocket of my suitcase which was stashed in one of the overhead shelf things. I could practically hear those three exchanging looks while my back was turned. I was sure they'd jump right back down my throat when the lady had gone. I was practically beating my brains in to think of something good. When the lady came to our compartment, I got myself some Bertie Botts beans and a few chocolate frogs. I sat down and was surprised to see a cauldron cake being handed to me from Harry. He seemed to have bought some for everyone to share. "Thanks!" I said and he nodded and smiled before sitting down again.

"So, you've heard my story, what about you all? Where ya from? What's your family like?" I asked, more than anything just to get them talking about something else. I knew they knew that too. When I went digging for a good jelly bean in the box, they were all exchanging looks again. Man, the way they did that, they must know each other well. After a few more seconds of silence I looked up questioningly. "Well?" I said and popped my bean into my mouth. They shifted uncomfortably. "Ron, why don't you go first," I said, indicating with my chin. He glanced over at the others before speaking.

"Well uh… I'm from Devon. I've got five older brothers and one little sister." He stuck a cake into his mouth and chewed a bit before continuing, his mouth still full, "Her name's Ginny. Her and Fred and George all go here still. Fred and George are twins. They can be pretty funny. Percy works at the ministry with my Dad and he's a git but," He swallowed at last. "Charlie and Bill are pretty cool. Charlie works with dragons and Bill works for the bank, which sounds pretty boring but, for his job he goes out and gets treasure. My mum's a little crazy but, that woman can cook." The other two nodded emphatically at this and he shrugged. "That's me I guess."

"I can't imagine having that many siblings!" I said with eyebrows raised. "I bet it gets pretty hectic sometimes." I hoped they couldn't see how relieved I was. I was about ready to get up on my seat and do a little dance.

He shrugged again, "It's alright but, I tend to get a lot of hand me downs."

I laughed, "I'm sure you do. My next door neighbors in New York had five kids and they all lived in this little two bedroom apartment. It was always so loud and busy over there but, I loved it. I used to make up excuses just to go sit in their living room sometimes…" I smiled at him and for some reason he blushed. "What about you Hermione?"

When I turned to look at her she had this sour look on her face like she had just tasted one of my barf flavored jelly beans. "My parents are dentists, nothing fancy. They have dentistry in London. And yes, they're both muggles." She said with her arms folded. I wondered what I had said to get her all grumpy.

After a moment I responded. "No biggy. Actually, I hear that those born from non-magical families tend to be the most talented." Hermione tossed me a glance before looking back towards the window. "I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they don't take it for granted, the magic I mean. My best friend in America was a lot like you and she worked really hard in school. Kinda pissed those purist kids off when she did better than they did in pretty much everything." I laughed then and threw a bean into the air before catching it in my mouth. Hermione seemed to have thawed out some but not much. "Not that I have any problem with purebloods either. I only have a problem with people who think they're better than everyone else because of something as silly as blood. We didn't have too many like that in America but, they were the biggest jerks." I pursed my lips in disgust and started ripping the wrapper of my cauldron cake.

"Sounds like Malfoy," Said Harry, "He's probably the biggest… er… jerk in Hogwarts. First year he told me I was making friends with the 'wrong sort' because I was talking to Ron. Draco and I have pretty much been enemies ever since."

"Guess they just have to have them everywhere." I said, wondering when I would have the pleasure of meeting this foul little booger.

Ron started tearing the wrapper on another cake, "Practically the whole Slytherin house is like that really." He shoved the cake in his mouth.

"Slytherin house?" I didn't know hardly anything about this school and I hoped these guys could fill in the gaps.

"You mean you don't know?" Hermione asked incredulous. She was kind enough to explain when I affirmed that I did not indeed know. They all told me about each of the houses and what they were famous for, Slytherin with the sneaky underhanded purebloods and Gryffindor with the brave and loyal. Ravenclaw with the brightest and cleverest and Hufflepuff with the compassionate. We all wondered how I would be sorted, what with the fact that it was usually only first years that got sorted. I hoped to God they didn't stick me in the back of all those little kids.

"Well either way, Harry I still haven't heard from you!" I said, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"But… Don't you already know?" He asked puzzled.

I was even more puzzled. "Should I?" I knew he was familiar but, I still didn't know why

"Uh… I guess not. I'm er… Harry Potter. The boy who lived?" He added somewhat sheepishly.

"Oh that's why you're so familiar! Honestly, and please don't take any offense by this, I'm a bit more impressed with the things one actually has control over, if you know what I mean." I'd heard a lot about this Harry Potter character over the summer from my grandparents and, while surviving the killing curse is rather amazing, I didn't see why everyone thought they should worship the kid. I mean, HE didn't do anything.

Harry shook his head, "No I totally get it, that's how I feel about it all really. It's kind of nice to meet someone who doesn't you know…"

"Treat you like a celebrity and wig out on you? I'm the last person to ever do that. Believe me."

"Yeah. Thanks," Harry said with a smile.

"So seriously, you gonna tell me about your family or what?" I prompted.

"Right. Well, you already know about my parents I guess but, I live on Privet Drive with the Dursley's. They're alright as long as I'm not anywhere near them. It's my aunt, my uncle, and my cousin and they all hate magic."

"God how awful!" I said with a proper look of disgust. "How do you manage it on holidays?"

"Well I write letters to these two a lot and I mostly try to stay out of the way as much as possible." Harry said with a shrug.

"So you're all good friends then?" I pulled out a chocolate frog and bit off its head before it could go anywhere.

They nodded. "Yeah," Said Ron, "Since first year." He looked over at Harry and elbowed him, "We all met on this train but, we didn't really start to be friends until later." Ron launched into this big long story about trolls and someone named Quirrel. It all seemed pretty far-fetched but every now and then, Hermione would jump in, correcting him on something or another. Harry even joined in, sharing his opinion on the disgustingness of troll snot. When they were all finished I asked them about what other adventures they might have had and with a few trepidations they started to tell me about how they retrieved the sorcerer's stone then. When that tale was done they started into the next year and the big mess with the chamber of secrets. Some of the details were wanting in some places and sometimes they only told me something after they rationalized that everyone else in the school already knew. Third year was even more sketchy but, they did tell me about their previous professor of the Dark Arts and how he had been a werewolf.

Just when I was about to ask about what really happened, a kid with a shamrock pinned to his shirt came in. He was followed by two others who were introduced to me as Sean, Dean, and Neville. After they got over the fact that I was there, they all started talking about Quidditch and Hermione had her head in a text book. I sat off to the side, still munching on my snacks and listening to the conversation. Neville seemed to be a rather lonely, funny sort of kid and it was nice to see the boys all treating him nicely. Sean was very obviously Irish and Dean was his best friend, who seemed to be a muggle born. I could learn a lot from sitting back and listening I had found, but my big mouth often seemed to get in the way of that.

Suddenly, three goonies burst in the compartment, one blonde and pale and the others hulking and dark. "For the first and last time in your life, Weasley." The pale one said. He must be the leader of this gang. He was making a comment on something Ron had just said about the seats he had gotten for the match. I wondered if this was the Malfoy guy they were telling me about earlier.

"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly. So yes this was Malfoy. Wow he WAS a prick. The prick in question started making some condescending remark about Ron's dress robes. I about got up then but, Ron stood up for himself. The little sleaze-ball just didn't quit though! He then started going on about entering something. He was so arrogant about it; I wanted to shove his face and hot wet pile of every filthy thing imaginable. Hermione told him off but he just went on. "Don't tell me you don't KNOW?" he said delightedly.

"No, we don't, but, I'd rather hear it from a horse's ass than from the likes of you. Why don't you go suck on your mothers cock, I'm sure she misses you." I said, standing up and staring him down. Malfoy stood there, dumbstruck for a long tense moment. Then he spoke.

"How dare you speak about my mother like that?" Draco face was red and his lips tight, I was getting to him, "Do you know who I am?" he asked pompously.

"Of course. The question is do you know who I am?" I jutted my chin out and put my hand on my hip. With my other hand I accented each word as I spoke, "I am Alejandra Mendoza Ramirez Hierro Castro of America. And I ask YOU. How dare you insult me in this way? How dare you insult my friends? I say you are an IMBECILE. My Grandfather will hear about this you incontinent prig. Get OUT of my SIGHT!"

Draco, who had stared at me, dumbstruck through my entire speech, eyes wide and jaw dropped, couldn't get out of the room fast enough. His thugs followed after him. For a few moments the compartment was silent after I slid the door completely closed then, I busted up laughing so hard I was doubled over. Soon everyone joined me.

"Did you see his face?!" Ron said between chortles.

"I've never seen anyone get the best of Malfoy like that!" Sean guffawed.

"I guess me and my big mouth can come in handy sometimes." I laughed as I sat back down beside Hermione. "Won't he be surprised when he finds out that my grandparents just own a shop in Diagon Alley?"

"No way!" Hermione exclaimed, "Diagon alley?"

"The very same." I said with a sigh.

"Which shop do they own?" Harry asked.

"It's just this little shop that sells a bunch of foreign magical items, stuff you can find everywhere but here. It's called 'Castro's emporium of exotic goods.' I helped them out with it all during the summer. It's kinda nice being so close to all the magical stuff." I said with a shrug.

"It sounds like so much fun!" Said Hermione, "All those shops to explore with all those books…"

"I bet you know the Alley like the back of your hand now. You should take us shopping next summer and show us all the best spots." Said Harry. I agreed and we spent the rest of the trip talking about next summer and the new school year. They all told me about the teachers and classes, filling me in on everything I might need to know about the school. It sounded like I was going to get lost a lot but they all promised to help me get to my classes as best they could. We compared schedules and it turned out that Hermione and I had a lot of the same classes. I noticed that she still looked a little wary of me but, I was sure that after a few weeks, we could be good friends. It seemed like this year was going to be a lot better than I thought.


End file.
